Doha: The second edition of the Qatar Investment and Innovation Conference: Driving GCC Entrepreneurial Growth successfully convened Monday at Barahat Msheireb. Organised by The Business Year in partnership with Msheireb Properties, with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) as Strategic Partner, the conference brought together over 700 entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers to explore opportunities in entrepreneurship, innovation, and digital transformation across the Gulf region.
According to Qatar News Agency, the conference built on the momentum from the inaugural edition held in January, providing a platform for meaningful dialogue on the region's rapidly evolving startup ecosystem. Against the backdrop of the GCC's ongoing economic diversification efforts, discussions centred on public-private collaboration, investment strategies, and the policy frameworks needed to support the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Eng. Ali Al Kuwari, CEO of Msheireb Properties, stated that the conversations and connections forged at this year's conference underscore Qatar's growing role as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. He emphasized the importance of such gatherings in strengthening the ecosystem needed to support emerging businesses and advance the GCC's economic diversification objectives.
Faraj Jassim Abdulla, Director of the Digital Economy Department at MCIT, highlighted the power of public-private partnerships in advancing Qatar's digital economy and innovation ecosystem. He noted that the discussions and connections made at the conference contribute to ongoing efforts to position Qatar as a regional leader in entrepreneurship and sustainable economic transformation, aligned with the Third National Development Strategy and Qatar Digital Agenda 2030.
Executive Director of Strategy and Programs at QRDI Council, Nejoud Al Jehani, pointed out that GCC countries are entering a new phase of development driven by investment in innovation and strategic capital. She emphasized that innovation has become an investment priority rooted in economic sustainability and national competitiveness.
The conference featured two high-level panel discussions examining the GCC's entrepreneurial landscape. The first panel focused on fostering entrepreneurship and driving economic growth in the GCC, while the second panel examined evolving investment strategies and policy insights to support emerging entrepreneurs.
A highlight of this year's conference was the AI for Good Innovation Challenge, hosted in collaboration with the AI for Good initiative YAILs and its Doha chapter. Ten pre-qualified startups, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, delivered live pitches to a panel of judges. The winner, CLARRIO, received the opportunity to attend the AI for Good Global Summit 2025 in Geneva, along with fast-track access to select international and local accelerator programs.
The challenge underscored Qatar's commitment to becoming a regional leader in responsible artificial intelligence and demonstrated how emerging technologies can address real-world challenges in sustainability, digital transformation, and social impact. Ahead of the main conference, HEC Paris in Qatar conducted a pre-event insight session titled "The Architecture of AI: Energy, Capex, and Capability," providing a strategic overview of AI's impact.